Whitehall to improve recycling for residents

Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza talks about the township's plans to give every Whitehall household a large recycling bin on wheels for residents' recyclables, such as bottles, cans, newspapers and cardboard.

Whitehall Mayor Ed Hozza talks about the township's plans to give every Whitehall household a large recycling bin on wheels for residents' recyclables, such as bottles, cans, newspapers and cardboard.

Margie` PetersonSpecial to The Morning Call

Whitehall plans to make recycling easier for residents this fall

If all goes according to plan, Whitehall Township expects to provide residents in October with 65-gallon rolling containers that they can use for all their curbside recycling.

The township's new recycling system will be "single-stream," meaning residents can put all their aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles, cardboard and newspapers in one container. The bins will have wheels and a handle for easy maneuvering.

Currently, Whitehall households pay $330 per year for garbage and recycling collection. The new containers won't cost families extra, according to Mayor Ed Hozza Jr. The township expects to pay $323,919 for the bins for 8,100 residential customers by using savings from new garbage and recycling contracts awarded last year, he said.

Following Monday's commissioners workshop meeting, township officials said they expect residents to recycle more with the larger containers and single-stream system.

"Your recycling tonnage will increase dramatically," Hozza said.

Commissioner Phillips Armstrong Sr. agreed, saying, "It's a great thing for the environment."

The commissioners expect to consider an ordinance authorizing purchase of the containers at their next meeting at 7 p.m. Monday.

Board of Commissioners Vice President Phillip Ginder said he would like to see a smaller version of the rollout container for senior citizens and residences with fewer people in the family.

"I live in a household of two, and the smaller one is going to be plenty for us," Ginder said.

Hozza said it would make sense for households to use the 65-gallon cart, especially because people are likely to need them during the holidays. He said seniors don't need to put recyclables out every week if the cart isn't full.

In 1988, Whitehall was the first township in the area to have curbside recycling, Hozza said. Residents were given stacking crates, which they used to separate their bottles and cans and such. In the 1990s, residents were given 32-gallon Rubbermaid containers for recycling. In later years, they were expected to buy their own containers and get a sticker label for the bins from the township.

Whitehall started to see the tonnage of recycled items decrease, Hozza said. Township officials hope the new system will reverse that trend.

When it comes to garbage collection, yard waste collection and leaf collection, Whitehall residents have more curbside service than most municipalities, he said.

The township does weekly collections for yard waste, leaves and green grass clippings during the appropriate seasons.

"We've been referred to as the Cadillac of garbage collection," Hozza said.